Scholes: “We’re not writing this season off”

Oldham manager, Paul Scholes has insisted that they are still in this league to compete for the rest of the season and can climb the table.

Speaking at today’s press conference, Scholes was reluctant to talk about plans for next season but admits ‘there is one eye on it’.

“We’re not writing this season off. It’s still important we get some wins on the board and get up that league.

“There is one eye on next season but we need to focus on getting the players playing well and then looking to next season.

“We’re not focusing totally on next season because we’ve got 12 games, there’s still a lot of points to play for.

“We don’t want anybody slacking off and just thinking about next season.”

Talking of implementing his methods and style on the Oldham players, Paul joked:

“It is probably going to take two or three weeks, maybe two or three months! I’m excited by what I’ve seen this week and if we can transfer that to Saturday afternoon I think we will be okay.”

With just one win the four games of his tenure, Scholes calmly brushed aside the last two defeats:

“It’s always important to win games. They’re (last two games) disappointments, we probably didn’t deserve to lose the Morecambe game but we did.

“First half at Bury I thought we played quite well, played some good stuff and just tired a bit in the second half with the amount of games we’ve had.

“Bury are a good team. They’re the second best team in the league as the table says at the minute but watching them play they look the best team in the league to me.”

Oldham are back at home on Saturday as they welcome Stevenage to Boundary Park who, like the Latics, are still fighting to put pressure on the playoffs.

Looking ahead to the match, Scholes talked of the importance of not ‘over-analysing’ opposition teams:

“Of course you do your homework on teams, you try not over-analyse and concentrate on them too much, it is about us.

“They’re a good team, they’ve had some really good results of late. Very direct team and it is something we will have to handle.

“But like I said, I try and concentrate on us more than we do them. We’ve got players that are capable of winning games and that’s what we’re looking for.”

Finishing off the interview, Scholes speaks of identifying with the fans on their lack of patience to achieve success:

“Fans don’t have patience, do they? I know I don’t have the patience, to be honest with you, I want it now, as quick as the results come, the better.

“We just want to win as many games as we can and I know we’ve only won one out of four but I think this team is capable of winning a lot of games in this league.

“It’s okay me saying that and the players doing that but we have to go out there and do it.”

Speaking after was Saturday’s goalscorer Callum Lang who commented on his desire to play at the top level, but ultimately focusing on his personal development:

“Obviously, every young player wants to play at the highest level.

“I’ve played on the wing a lot this season and he’s (Scholes) given me the opportunity to play more up front.

“Every game I’m trying to improve I want to try and improve aspects of me game and I think the way we’re trying to play is definitely helping me a lot more.

“When I first went to Morecambe last year, I didn’t really get the opportunity to play up front, where I wanted to play, because I wasn’t strong enough but over the two years (in League Two) that has definitely improved.”